About the Foundation

Director's Welcome

Dear Readers,

The 'Marshall Plan' has provided essential support for the process of democratic and economic reconstruction in Austria after World War II. Austria has received more financial and other economic support per capita than most other beneficiaries. Funds are continuing to flow into the Austrian economy via the ERP-Fund up to the present day.

The Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation was created on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the European Recovery Program, which was initiated by American State Secretary George C. Marshall in 1947. It is a non-profit, non-partisan endowment established according to the rules and regulations for foundations and funds under Austrian law. Its activities extend across Austria and the US. Contributions to the Foundation originate from several sources; any such contributions are tax deductable under the Austrian Tax Code.

The Foundation seeks to contribute to the enrichment of the American understanding of Europe, its peoples and the challenges it has faced in the past and continues to confront. The US still leads the world in many fields, including science, research and economics. Despite Austria's involvement in European integration, it is of fundamental importance to keep an eye on developments in America. This corresponds with the original intentions of the Marshall Plan, i.e. to support and intensify exchanges of academics on both sides of the Atlantic. The Foundation is proud of its charge: to generate and disseminate distinguished scholarship through individual and collective efforts, not only by scholars and students in Austria, but also through interaction with our American counterparts.

These were yet again exciting years, during which we organized in-depth symposia and other high-profile events dealing with European and American issues, both past and present. The activities reported here have helped the Foundation to spark and maintain scholarly interest in American and European Studies and to become a vital resource for student and faculty research and the Foundation's outreach to the broader community. Indeed, we are proud that the Foundation plays a role in improving and broadening the scope of transatlantic relations in these challenging times.

We are honored to submit this report on behalf of the Austrian Marshall Plan Foundation with immense gratitude to our sponsors: the ERP-Fund, Austria's National Bank and the Academic Institutions throughout the country. This support has empowered the Foundation to provide the highest quality of support to scholars from both sides of the Atlantic.